On the eve of the month when business finally picks up in the NHL, let's bid farewell to a few topics that determined fans will now be able to forget about and concentrate on more important matters. You know, things like the No. 1 defence pairing in Abbotsford, Liam Reddox's potential linemates and the over-under for the number of times in the coming weeks and months that the words "Luongo" and "extension" will appear in the same story on the pages of the Vancouver Sun or the Province.

Some of the above are gone from the NHL for good and some will eventually sign on somewhere or other. Others may get an NHL tryout and others yet may end up in Europe or in the minors. In any event, it's just another reminder that for every Raymond Bourque, Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky who gets a star-spangled farewell from the game, there are dozens of others who exit stage right with barely a whimper.

Issue 2: Where's Dany?

L'Affaire Heater is far from over, of course, but at least the summer-long game of "Where's Dany" is behind us now that the mercurial winger has finally made public comments on the matter of his discontent in the Nation's Capital. Based on what he said, you have to wonder why he bothered. If weeks of seclusion in his B.C. summer getaway could produce no better explanation than "I'm not happy with my declining role with the Senators" and "I'm not very happy with the way the media has portrayed me in a bad light" then get this fellow and his handlers to Spin Doctoring 101 classes as soon as possible. Then again, for an increasingly unsympathetic figure who has burned his bridges with at least three NHL franchises while playing only for two, public relations has never been a forte.

By way of contrast, one thinks back to Darren McCarty during his time with the Flames when fresh word leaked of his financial troubles, the situation being so dire that his Stanley Cup rings were being put up for auction. There was all sorts of emotional and legal baggage associated with that little revelation but instead of hiding, McCarty agreed to face the media en masse to issue explanations and answer questions. He even managed to preface the session with a joke, innocently looking at the media mob and asking: "Did you want to talk to me about something?" Whatever sins McCarty has committed, his handling of the unpleasant situation had a lot more people rooting for him then than Heatley does now.

Issue 3: The Phoenix Coyotes

The Never-ending Saga of the Phoenix Coyotes is another story that ain't going away anytime soon, but at least it will soon be a pleasant diversion to sprinkle in some references to Mikkel Boedker, Peter Mueller, Kyle Turris, Keith Yandle, Shane Doan et al when discussing the Desert Dogs. The topic of actual hockey can't come soon enough, especially since the ownership/bankruptcy wars has degenerated into a nasty game of besmirching the character of that would-be owner or any number of current owners. Taken to its logical conclusion, that game would result in the hockey world noticing an awful lot of unclothed emperors and, well, let's just say that even Derek Boogaard's skating is a more visually appealing image.

On that note, we say good riddance to August and welcome September. Let the first "Ha, nobody wants to play in your city/Oh yeah, how many Cup banners do YOU have?" exchange of the season begin.

Lefebvre is in that awkward stage of hockey following -- old enough to fondly remember the Cleveland Barons and too set in his ways to accept charity points and games where there's a winner but apparently no loser. As a long-time ink-stained wretch, he's also a firm believer in the old Bobby Knight quote about journalists: "All of us learn to write in second grade, but most of us go on to better things."

Instead of going back and forth between "Nobody wants to play in your city nyah nyah" and "We were a better team 20 years ago than you were", I think it's time to unite in a common cause: ripping on the other Canadian teams!

"Luongo is a great 'regular season' goalie!"

"The Leafs think Komisarek is a top defenseman!"

"The Habs are even smaller than the Oilers!"

"Dany F$$king Heatley!"

This season is going to be hilarious, so come on, let's not fight my fellow Albertans.

Does anyone else think that a team could be made of the contractless that would compete pretty well most nights? I count 8 ex-oilers, is that right?

I see what you mean. You could sign them for $1 million each, I'd bet. I can think of a coach who's unemployed and has a knack for veterans with lots of 'jam'...How depressing would it be if they ended up being better than the Oilers?

@ Librarian Mike
While that sounds nice and all, they are our sworn, mortal enemy of which only one can survive, so......no. Cowtown hosers...u suck. Go Oil!
(Canucks and Leafs- u suck too.)
Ahhhh,feels good, bring on the season.

@ Archy
The nhl could put the team together and film it reality style for a season. I would actually watch that, and they would instantly be my second favorite team. It would be a great story and probably get better ratings in the states than regular nhl games.

The fact that Seidenberg doesn't have a contract yet is absurd. Either he has an idiot for an agent or he's a total dink. But either way, I'm shocked he hasn't been signed by someone yet. He was very instrumental in Carolina's run last year.

As for making a team out of the contractless, it would make for a good expansion team but too many one dimentional players on that list to be taken seriously.

i think everyone should cross their fingers and hope for a couple things.first that horcoff plays to the level that he is getting paid this year.second cogs and gagner gel and play like the second line everyone thought they were going to be last year.oh yeah one more thing GO OILERS!!!!!!!!!

@ Librarian Mike
While that sounds nice and all, they are our sworn, mortal enemy of which only one can survive, so……no. Cowtown hosers…u suck. Go Oil!
(Canucks and Leafs- u suck too.)
Ahhhh,feels good, bring on the season.

Haha. Fair enough. I can live with that, but I'd like to call a moratorium on the whole '5 CUPS' thing. It just makes us seem pathetic. Instead, let's try some new stuff:

Do you think Paul Kelly got fired on account of all the NHL players that are sitting at home without a contract as the season is about to begin? In any event, the 'contractless' NHLers may be a sign of the future due to reduced salary caps and failed franchises.

Still, with names like Comrie, Afinogenov, Sykora, Satan, Peca, and Malhotra on that list, I’m wondering why the hell Nilsson is still on our roster.

Because Bobby has the ability to be a better offensive player than any player on that list. And we have to see what he can do with an allstar coaching staff. And you don't just throw that type of player away.

Because Bobby has the ability to be a better offensive player than any player on that list. And we have to see what he can do with an allstar coaching staff. And you don’t just throw that type of player away.

Exactly, without playoff hockey again this year I managed to replace my windows and side my house, renovate my basement and build a deck, I am now broke but I have a nice room in my basement where I can watch the Oilers forwards get pushed around by some pretty good sized defense units in the Northwest division.

Do you think Paul Kelly got fired on account of all the NHL players that are sitting at home without a contract as the season is about to begin? In any event, the ‘contractless’ NHLers may be a sign of the future due to reduced salary caps and failed franchises.

I think Paul Kelly was just the closest guy standing in the NHLPA offices when the Escroe (possible transgression in spelling there)doo doo hit the roof, it more than doubled in the last 18 months. Mr. Kelly was the sacraficial lamb, the players are pissed they've lost 25% and won't be getting any of that back.Someone had to pay for allowing this to happen.

Because Bobby has the ability to be a better offensive player than any player on that list. And we have to see what he can do with an allstar coaching staff. And you don’t just throw that type of player away.

cableguy wrote:

sarcasm?

I think Dallas is right. When the young guns were giving hell at the end of the 2007-2008 season, there were a few quotes (one from MacT) that aside from Hemsky, Nilsson was the most skilled on the team. That is pretty high praise.
Now if only he could get Ethan Moreau's jam then we could see some magic.